


cherry

by tenderyeol



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bisexual Hinata Shouyou, Fluff, Getting Together, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, KageHina Week, KageHina Week 2020, M/M, Slow Build, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:21:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24843739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenderyeol/pseuds/tenderyeol
Summary: And rest assured he did; no matter how many people yearn over him, Kageyama will always stroll back to Hinata’s side, where fantasy turns reality.—  a work about one's way to pride, inspired by Rina Sawayama's Cherry.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 4
Kudos: 67
Collections: Kagehina Week 2020





	cherry

**Author's Note:**

> KageHina Week 2020, Day07- Promotion Day: just wanted to finish up this week with a work i've been thinking about posting, dealing with some struggles i could hc kageyama having if kagehina were to get together during high school. nothing too serious and mainly self-indulgent, i hope everyone can enjoy!

_“Even though I’m satisfied, I live my life within a lie…”_

It’s just another afternoon, as boring as usual, when Kageyama finds himself bowing with an apology at a girl in front of him. Even after three years of denying confessions, his popularity hasn’t decreased a single ounce, probably out of mystery as to why he keeps on refusing. The Karasuno members have told him multiple times his looks and personality combined are simply prone to call women’s attention, but he still can’t quite seem to grasp it.

He recognizes some of his physical traits can be attractive, but how can someone confess solely on that? Have personality and chemistry lost all and any significance? Tobio might not be a professional at expressing himself yet, but he does know what love feels like.

“Please stop staring, let’s just go eat lunch,” he sighs into the air, perfectly aware of Hinata bouncing on the ball of his feet behind a machine some meters away.

“What did you want me to do, eat alone? 'S not my fault half of the school picks this time of the day to ask you out, hot stuff ,” he muses back, long orange curls flying away as he hops around Kageyama and steals the box of chocolate in his hands.

Right, he does know what love is- or whatever this sliver of emotions that has been chasing him for a small eternity is, effectively blocking any self-protection senses he had built over his childhood. It’s something dangerous, a bronze hand tugging at the back of his shirt whenever he pushes himself too far and a pearly smile grounding him in the most inopportune occasions.

He wouldn’t say love is Hinata Shoyo per se, but most of the concept truly hit Kageyama thanks to the other boy. In all honesty, it burns and hurts in all right ways, like an addiction one can absolutely not quit, but it also leaves his mouth dry with want and self-doubt. Something which had started when he was just a small child had finally unleashed completely in the form of a hurricane, all browns and golds swirling around him.

Their lunch practices have almost vanished- Kageyama suspects the other boy is so blinded by the need of spilling all his secrets and endeavours to him before Brazilian beaches take him away for years, he forgets the real reason why they started eating together in the first place.

And he knows they’re partners above all, but it still strums his strings of hope in a pleasant melody, one he wants to listen to for the rest of his life.

It’s on the little bites the other boy drops inside his poorly self-made bento, insisting Kageyama tries his new healthy concoctions. It’s on the way his eyes then sparkle with pride, waiting for a reaction on whether he should try to cook it again someday or make it vanish down the drain. Above all, it’s on the fact he always smiles big and bright in the end, like his simple gesture didn’t create a full rollercoaster ride on some random high school rooftop.

It didn’t start with Hinata, Tobio can recognize as much. He remembers his heart skipping a beat that one day when Kunimi’s hand grazed his on accident, cherishes the blatant awakening of stuttering at Akaashi’s beauty just like his teammates would at Kiyoko’s. He had always been most susceptible to boys, a foreign yet familiar feeling of despair clutching to his throat at the prospect of getting attached with no foreseeable future to it.

What he truly refuses to understand is why his body and soul decided this time was it, the turn to fall, most likely for life. What is it in Hinata Shoyo that makes him seem so attainable? His starry freckles? The way he orbits around Kageyama himself? Or the honesty of his feelings, worn on his sleeve like an honour badge?

How can he be so wonderful, so raw and inspiring? Kageyama is proud to know he'll leave soon, won't deny the bitter taste it leaves on his teenager-in-love heart, but ignores it nonetheless thanks to all the positive emotions flowing through him at the prospect of a future challenge.

The corners of his mouth tilt against his will, lulled by the stray grain of rice miraculously lodged in one of his partner's curls; it's as smooth as anything they can have, when he reaches out to take it off and the small stutter it leaves on the other's speech goes by unnoticed. Tobio knows they're pretty much walking on ice during a scorching hot day, unconsciously squishing every second together to multiply it as hours, yet he can't bring himself to stop wondering.

Maybe nothing will ever happen...

The bell rings, signalling the end of their lunch time, and he knows they have time- to hang out, to relish on volleyball and pretend there’s nothing else in their minds, to ignore the sensitive bubble around them and avoid bursting their hearts with it.

There still is time for Kageyama to ignore the facts, flutters, as long as the volleyball Shoyo worked so hard for isn’t jeopardized.

… So far, they still have time.

_“…Holding onto feelings I’m not used to feeling…”_

Sometimes, it’s a little bit hard to deal with the force of his affection.

Tobio knows he didn’t grow up in the warmest household, but he also thinks that simply came from the unfortunate departure of his grandfather. Before, it had been like permanently standing next to a fireplace, cosy and personal. So no, he wasn’t filled with memories of a boy devoid of love, rather an inspiring promise of greatness as long as he worked hard.

However, he did have some troubles expressing himself. Naturally introverted, Kageyama thrived on physical contact and brightened up to people when the time felt right. He wasn’t one to ask, not after demanding from others almost ruined his life-long dedication, but he had to admit giving back came so easily with Hinata, as years passed it was simply second nature.

“I think you could pull that off with Yamaguchi,” the smaller boy comments, head laying comfortably on Tobio’s shoulder.

“Uhm... But when it comes to jumping height, shouldn’t it be Tsukishima?” he asks, rewinding the tape as he swings his right arm around his friend.

The attack rolls again, a pleasant smash coming after the squeaking sound of multiple shoes on a court the screen presents to them. Hinata puffs audibly when the jump does seem fit to Kageyama’s suggestion, slumping on the couch and effectively driving his friend secretly insane at the feeling of more contact.

It’s moments like these that make all the yearning worth it- the intimacy of their partnership, something emotional yet corporeal to count on. And rest assured, he lingers on the way Shoyo’s now longer curls rest close to his neck, vast sea of loving waves so close yet so far away; when he leaves some hours after, just before the sun completely goes down, the breeze ruffles those hairs and creates a painting of its own, something to remember past moonlight time.

Gatherings like that one don’t happen very often, but they’re worth the wait. The next morning always feels fresher, easier to breathe in and digest the other’s presence. Kageyama knows their partnership stays untouched, and so do his feelings. At this time of their lives, he cherishes every single memory in their unbreakable bond as a heavenly blessing.

One can’t really blame him for wanting said bond to remain unbreakable.

Knowing Hinata as he does, his brain has thought up unending scenarios of a possible confession of his feelings, whether it could end everything or open up new doors. He won’t deny most of his own hypothesis were highly positive, which above all sounds scarier than being entirely pushed away.

Besides all the times they’ve crossed the line of plain friendship, he still can’t bring himself to talk. Not when it’ll hold the other back, not when it might corrupt his dreams and make leaving so much harder.

If their similarities are anything to go by, Tobio thinks they will be okay. One day, when they’re back together, their feelings will remain (at least his will, he can feel deep inside his bones that this is something more, entirely different to what he’s used to).

“Woah, that girl is really pretty…” Shoyo voices in wonder on a Saturday afternoon, books long forgotten on top of their chosen library desk in favour to look at people coming in and out.

“Uhm, boyfriend’s prettier,” comes Kageyama’s reply, shocking himself to unbelievable extents.

While he knows the other to be very acceptant, especially after he came out as bisexual during second year, there should be no problem in voicing out a thought like that. However, the sole rush of adrenaline of admitting such a personal comment out loud drowns him in fear, blue irises shaking somewhere far away from his friend’s face. This is the first time he has ever talked about something physical outside of volleyball with somebody else, and he realises quickly someone like Hinata would not let it slip on his mind, even if he didn’t voice it.

“Yeah…” his spiker muses instead, looking at his eyes with the softest expression- something vulnerable, as honest as writing _I understand_ on a piece of paper and sending the letter, “He really is”.

Of course there are multiple thrills in one’s life, unending reasons to put a wobbly sweet smile on Tobio’s face: the smell of warm green tea when he has an upset stomach, the purr against his leg when a stray cat successfully approaches him, when Miwa comes home and drops an embarrassing kiss by his cheek…

Despite all that, when those honey brown eyes look at him like he deserves all the love in the world back is the moment his stomach goes the warmest, cherry cheeks combined.

_“…‘Cause, oh, they make me feel alive…”_

Night time falls upon the Karasuno boys on the day before the third years’ last tournament ends and the quiet that consumes their room is oddly comforting.

Throughout the years Kageyama has spent with this team, he has witnessed the most beautiful and curious things, noticed how people can be so accepting when they truly care. He will never forget their team hug when Sugawara had fell under pressure because of a certain grade, or the day Tsukishima burst into tears after a family member sadly passed- not because he saw someone at their worst, but for the energy which built them back up.

Nobody blamed Sugawara for expecting better of himself, nobody shamed Tsukishima for mourning the loss of a close soul. Karasuno built a family with edges, but nevertheless a perfect one.

There are other things nobody questions on their shared bedroom, facts which have remained untouched as they grew older: Yachi becoming bolder, Yamaguchi sleeping with a lucky charm by his pillow, those two second years who always give each other massages before going to sleep or the first year libero who always sits in a perfect split, past gymnast in him still not forgotten. Naturally, no team member has the guts to shame the freak duo’s quirky habits, especially when they seem to be locked in their own world.

The light is still on when Tobio lays down, tired for no apparent reason. Yes, they did play some harsh games, but he usually still has energy to go by at such an early hour. He guesses he has been too harsh on himself lately, wondering too much about unnecessary things (not actually unnecessary to _him_ , but to volleyball nonetheless).

Chest against the futon and left cheek pressed to his pillow, he positions a hand on each side of his pillow, palm facing downwards, and promptly closes his eyes.

It doesn’t take long before a familiar shadow appears next to him, lying down on his own futon with a huff; Kageyama opens his eyes to the usual honey sight, mirroring his posture by his side.

Hinata then raises his hand, a finger tracing the back of his friend’s hand finger by finger, starting by the thumb and caressing knuckles until it connects with the wrist by its pinkie- Tobio then turns it, widespread and curious as it always is when they become this tactile in their quiet universe.

“We should do something fun one of these days. You know, before…” Shoyo finally speaks up, lacing their fingers together and squeezing their palms into each other’s warmth.

“Like winning a game?” he tries to humour him, ignoring his own racing heart.

“Maybe even better than that,” comes the reply, complete with a purposeful caress of a thumb grazing already united hands.

And he absolutely meant it- Tobio dwells on it for a long time, although he keeps telling his loud heart to just stay shut for a while. Those loving memories remain as a daily companion until they’re watching a movie, TV long forgotten when Hinata sits on his lap with something loving and purely _gold_ in his gaze.

The only sound he can produce in protest sits somewhere between a grunt and a squeal, surprise long blended with fondness as his hands twitch with uncertainty of where to rest. A part of him wants to go back to the movie, pretend to have no interest whatsoever in what is about to unfold, but his heart thumps so loud and quick it echoes down his empty house’s corridors.

Shoyo analyses his expression for a second longer, shoulders rolling backwards to clean the tension away until he then leans in. Kageyama tries not to appear too eager, even when his eyelids promptly betraying him and immediately close, expecting impact anytime soon.

Surprisingly, he feels only a small brush against the corner of his lips.

“Is this the something fun you were talking about?” he tries, voice cracking slightly at the beginning of his speech.

While the other boy doesn’t answer for what feels like eternity, Tobio dares to try and open his eyes- his breath halts on his nose and pops weirdly at his throat when he welcomes his loved one’s expression, so vulnerable and honest.

“You want this as much as I do, don’t you?” Hinata whispers, still so close his breath tickles the other’s face with a sample of raspberries.

It would be ideal to deny (stuck somewhere in his brain there’s a blatant no, but his heart has long stopped listening), but a nod escapes instead; there’s no turning back right now.

“So why don’t you come and take it?” the red haired boy enquires again, hands guiding Kageyama’s trembling ones towards the space between his waist and his hips.

“I’ll… I’d just hold you back,”

“I was scared of that too ‘Yama, but can’t you see? You’ve never held me back, you always let me fly. Just this once… won’t you let your heart decide?”

The background conversation going on the discarded movie suddenly seems like an anchor, keeping the younger boy from tearing up. They deserve this, deserve each other so close they appear as one… But volleyball has been such a big part of their lives, he doesn’t want to keep Shoyo from being on his best shape over some boy across the globe, even if he is that person, has wanted to be that one special someone for such a long time.

“What about the distance?” he grimaces in doubt, so close to ignoring any rational thought, “Wouldn’t it be better if I just waited for you to-”

He feels another shy kiss dropping, this time closer to the center of his lips. Tobio won’t deny the boy sitting on his lap knows him best, knows when to push to break through his walls and when to leave him alone to figure it out. Right now, the more he speaks, the less certain he feels about such self-convincing thought he had spent years fabricating.

“I know you can wait, you always would. But what if we can start this now? What if I love you so much I want this to last as long as possible, even if you’re miles away?” Shoyo questions once more, confident hands shooting to hold his friend’s cheeks in another plea, “Is it really so wrong of us to trust this could last?”

_“… So won’t you?”_

This time, their kiss is real, devouring as much as one can when feelings have been trapped for so long, containing a full identity which couldn’t roam freely before. It explodes in his chest as Tobio finally allows himself to come out, spell those three magical words to his loved one and it hits him how easily they could turn this second into eternity.

Hinata accidentally bites his lower lip out of glee and his brain goes on autopilot out of the complete frenzy the small action sends his heart into. Everything disappears as they keep kissing in that grey couch, sounds blending into silence and senses blocking everything that isn’t the other.

Tilting his head sideways by instinct, he gasps out of shock when the boy on his lap actually finds a way to press them closer together, squeezing his legs between Kageyama’s back and the couch to pull his body closer without breaking their kiss (which one is beyond them, they’ve lost count at this point).

It feels a lot like a burst of pastel pinks and bright yellows, buzzing around them on a cocoon to shelter them from what tomorrow might hold. Shoyo sometimes giggles between touches and nothing could rival the pure shot of dopamine it injects directly into the other’s heart, swimming between sweet and heated kisses.

A secret afternoon turns into months, spreading through the year that stands between them and Brazil.

No matter how busy Kageyama might find himself, utterly blessed with the results of his hard work and on the path to make his grandfather proud, they still draw out as many circles in their schedule as possible to make it work. Somewhere along the ride, Miwa comes closer with a promise to stay, and the relief her little brother finds in coming out to her serves as a pleasant gift, finally easing his soul to rest.

But years can’t freeze just to witness two young men bonding, loving each other in as many ways as possible, so the dreaded date comes.

Long distance is harsh, draining them with nostalgia more often than not; in the end, they truly come out of it stronger, just like Shoyo had so correctly warned him on a life changing afternoon.

Although Kageyama is all-too aware of the little things uniting them- silly phone cases, hoodies stored deep within closets, a promise bracelet somewhere along the way and a sneaky tan line it leaves behind –he also cannot ignore the land keeping them apart.

Naturally, is first instinct when Hinata comes back to Japan is to go get him. After not being able to visit him during the Olympics, he could never forgive himself if he failed this once as well. It surprised him when Shoyo himself suggested they should wait for a while longer, teenager fear washing his insides again, yet it all became consciously _them_ when Black Jackals’ match against the Schweiden Adlers rolled around.

The result of it suddenly didn’t hold any weight, as long as Tobio could run towards those sturdy arms, sculpted with years of hard work and hope, and hold his soon-to-be fiancé close, showcasing him on a stadium filled with people where he can finally receive all the attention he deserved since that one day during middle school.

And rest assured he did; no matter how many people yearn over him, Kageyama will always stroll back to Hinata’s side, where fantasy turns reality.

_“…Will you be my cherry? (...) Will you, will you be mine?"_

**Author's Note:**

> rina sawayama and her queerness have been helping me through some personal struggles, so i couldn't avoid this idea when it came to me...  
> if you enjoy the way i write come find me on twt @sweetobios


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